Chief Ndanga Escalates Land Verification as ‘Sabhuku Deals’ Plague Zaka District

By Staff ReporterZAKA – Chief Ndanga of Zaka District, born Wilson Makono, has escalated physical verification of land ownership in his area in a bid to curb illegal land sales, particularly around Jerera Growth Point, where villagers and village heads have been selling communal land for years.The illegal sales, commonly referred to as “Sabhuku Deals”, have been rampant in Chief Ndanga’s area since around 2015. The problem persists despite repeated efforts by both the council and local chiefs to combat the menace.Chief Ndanga has previously imposed fines on village heads, which reduced the practice but failed to stop it entirely.Now, the chief says his men were on the ground conducting physical verifications of every homestead.”To find the real culprits, we have to go there ourselves. We used to rely on annual reports from each village head, but those lists are often filled with names of people connected to the village head. If we use those lists, no one will ever be found as an illegal settler,” said Chief Ndanga.He said his team was questioning all new homeowners about how they acquired the land they are occupying. He said, while village heads have traditionally been the main culprits, ordinary villagers have also become land barons.”Besides the village heads, the residents themselves are the major culprits. They are the ones selling pieces of their own land to newcomers. However, village heads will also be sucked in because no one can start constructing a home without the village head’s knowledge and consent,” said the Chief.The scramble for land around Jerera began when the local authority conducted a study and mapping exercise for the Jerera expansion project. However, the plan would resulted in the loss of farmland for many, prompting some to sell their land to benefit before the process.Villages such as Musiso, Mateko, Gwanya, Manyimo and Chipezeze among others have been identified as hotspots for illegal land sales.Chief Ndanga said after the physical verification is complete, the findings will be submitted to the council, which will deliberate on corrective measures against those found to have violated the law.Ndanga said the people with power to settle people in a village is the village assembly.“A village cannot wake up and allow someone to occupy land. The village assembly should deliberate and agree then recommend to the village head who will in turn inform the headman. The headman informs the chief who in turn would notify council. So if that procedure is not followed then it means it’s illegal,” said Ndanga.The crackdown comes against the backdrop of a recent Government directive on illegal land sales. In June 2026, the Government spoke out against the illegal sale of state land by traditional leaders warning that only the Ministry of Lands can issue offer letters. Matebeleland North Minister of State Richard Moyo recently warned that some headmen have been arrested for selling land, and he urged home seekers to approach government offices for land, not traditional leaders.Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Zaka Central legislator Davis Marapira at some point confirmed the illegal sales around Jerera warning people against the practice”It is true that land around Jerera Growth Point and along the road to Zaka Township has been sold without following proper procedures. Land belongs to the State. It is only the President through the Local Government Ministry who can authorize the selling of land for commercial or domestic use after following proper procedures,” said Marapira.